Florida Mailman Arrested for Delivering His Letters to Congress by Gyrocopter

A mailman from Florida was arrested Wednesday after landing a one-man gyrocopter on the Capitol lawn.

Photo by PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images

“There’s no need to worry. I’m just delivering the mail.”

This was the message of Doug Hughes, a 61-year-old mailman from Ruskin, Florida, who insisted that he meant no harm in violating the District’s no-fly zone and landing his gyrocopter on the U.S. Capitol lawn on Wednesday as part of a protest against corruption in American politics.

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A message on Hughes’ website, thedemocracyclub.org, said he’d emailed President Obama about the upcoming visit. He also encouraged supporters to help ensure that his stunt would not be misinterpreted as a threat by asking them to call the White House switchboard: “Let them know that you demand a government that works for the people—and that you oppose shooting me down. (If you favor shooting me down, call that number, but wait until tomorrow.)”

The anti-corruption copter was not the only eye-catching protest on the National Mall on Wednesday. In the pre-dawn hours, advocates for D.C. statehood and defenders of the District’s marijuana decriminalization measure erected a large “liberty pole” across from the Capitol and wrapped it in a #FREEDC banner, intending to criticize Congress for its threats to meddle with legalization.

With supporters chained to the pole and refusing to move until 4/20, a leader of the pro-pot group was convinced to meet with U.S. Park Police to arrange a permit and make a few changes to the pole for safety. The addition of “a red light on top for passing aircraft,” in particular, sounds prudent given that the low-flying mail-copters have apparently arrived.